Automatic heat-regulating apparatus



Patented Oct. 26,1926.

UNITED STATI-:s

PATIENT OFFICE.'-

VIRVINGr' GREENHUT, OF HlARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. i

UTOMATIC'HEAT-BEGULATIN G APPARATUS. Y

Application mea April 22, 1925. serial no. 25,163.

- portions of the building lose and gain vheaty at different rates depending on exposure,

size, draughts, etc. .Therefore, .vhile .the

room or portion of the building containing 4the thermostat maybe satisfactory, other portions of the building may be too hot or too cold. Y

The aim of the present invention is to pro'- vide a regulating apparatus by means of which the temperature within the building may be cont-rolled with great nicety, and the building may be uniformly heated independently of local interior conditions.

end, thermostatic means positioned eXteriorly of the building is employed for regulating the heating plant. The thermostatic means is suchthat' the heat generated by the heating plant will vary in accordance with the change in temperature outside of the building.

mostatic 'means automatically effects operation of said regulator at predetermined intervals of time, which intervals decrease in length in proportion to the progressively lower temperatures at which the thermostatic means isset to operate; and means con- To this A further aim is to provide an apparatus of the sort described having various featuresV controlled means through whichA said ther' trolled by the heat produced by the heating v plant for determining the length of time the regulator shall remain in condition to effect a greater heat. I yfurther combine with this apparatus means wherebv the regulator may 'be operated at will or at predetermined timesv and independently of the thermostatic means and said time controlled means. I also provide means whereby the regulator maybe controlled by said time controlled means independentlyof the thermostatic means.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown, for ilustrative purposes, -one embodiment which the present invention' lmay take, it being understood that this showing is by way of exemplification only, as my invention is susceptible of various modifications, changes and applications: I

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic layout of my improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the regulating apl paratus;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig'. 4 is a sectional view.taken4 on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Eig. 5 is a right hand elevational view of the-structure shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a switch which may -be set to loperate at predetermined times.

In these drawings, I have not `shown the heating plant in detail, as my apparatus may be employed in conjunction wlth any' suitable type or construction of heating apparatus, as, for example, a coal, oil or gas heated water or steam boiler plant or an air furnace. The regulator for varying the heat-ing effect of theplant will, of course, depend on the particular type of plant to which -my improvements are applied. `In

4the drawings, I have shown the regulator as being in the form of' a motor A which may be employed for feeding air or oil or both to an oilfheater. The term regulator, is employed in itsgeneric sense and for convenience in Iterminology. The motorA is connected in a line 10 provided with a switch 11 which is thrown into circuit closingv position by a solenoid 12 and intooff position by a solenoid 13. f'

In the present instance, thethermostatic means comprises a plurality of thermostats 15, 15",.15", 15, 15 and 15t located eXteriorly of the building, a wall of which is shown at 16. These thermostats may be 'of thermostat 15t will close, and when the def tent of the switch 25t drops into the notch of the right hand cam 35, the following.

circuit is closed ;-'-the secondary winding 70,

the switch bladesv 7 5 and 76, wire 18, thermol stat 15, switch-25f, wire 28, switch arm 65, and wire 66 (in which the solenoid 12 is interposed). When this circuit is closed, the solenoid 12 isenergized, 'resulting'in 'closing of the switch ll'and throwing ,on

of the motor, whereuponA the heat given out by the heating plant will increase. The motor or regulator A will remain in on condition until the temperature ofthe steam or water within the plant operates the pressure-stat B to throw the switch 65 into the dotted line position of Fig. 1, whereupon the solenoid 13 `is energized, with the result that the switch ll is broken and the regulator is rendered inoperative. At about the same time that the solenoid 13 is energized, the solenoid 56 is also energized, with the result that the cam assembly is drawn to the right by the armature 55,' thereby disconnecting the ratchet wheel 47 from the pawl 45 so that the cam assembly is free to be turned clockwise by the spring 57 back to starting position. Since the regulator is now in off position, the pressure within the heating plant will drop, whereupon the switch 65 will move to the full line position shown in Fig. 1, thereby breaking the circuit through the solenoid 56, with the result that the spring 52 will slide the cam assembly on the shaft 44 to a position -where the ratchet wheel and pawl 45 are` again re-engaged'. The clock will now rotate the cam assembly counterclockwise until the notch 37 .in the cam 35f is again brought into a position where the detent 36 of the switch 25t may fall thereinto, whereupon the solenoid l2 is again energized,lresulting in throwing the regulator or motor into operation. Under the assumed conditions, the interval' o'f time between/*the de-energization of the solenoid 5,6 and the-engagement ofthe pawl or detent 36 in the notch of the cam 35t ris one hour long. l

If the temperature of the outside air should drop to say 45, the thermostat 415 will close with the result that the regulator will be thrown from ed into on condition when the switch 25e is closed. It may be assumed that this switch 25e will be closed fty minutes after the thermostat has operated to throw the motor A into on position; that is to say, the notch in the cam 35e `may be so spaced that it takes fiftyminutes forl the cam to rotate froml starting position to the position where the notch in this cam is beneath the detent of the switch 25e. If the temperature drops to between v30" and 40, the thermostatll will close, and the cam 35d will closel the switch 25d say forty minutes after the pressure-stat B has thrown the regulator A out of operation. loetween'20O and 30, the thermostat 15c and the switch 25c will be effective to periodically throw the regulator into operation. If the temperature is between 10- and 20?,

'the thermostat 15b and the switch 25b are effective, and when the vtemperature drops below 10, the thermostat 15a will close and the cam 35rl will result in energization of the solenoid 12 and operation of the motor A ten minutes after the pressure-stat has thrown the motor lout of operation.

It. is, of course, understood that th specific temperature and time periods herein referred to are given solely by way of example and to facilitate the understanding of the operation of this device. 'It is evident that the range of temperatures within which the thermostatic means operate, the temperatures at which the several thermostatic devices operate, the periods of time at which the switches are closed, the number of therinostatic devices, and the number of cams, and other features and settings of the arrangement, maybe Ivaried to suit the conditions at hand, these conditions being different for various size buildings, eX- posures, and uses to which the building are put.

In order that the regulator may be thrown on at a given selected interval of time after the regulator is thrown off, irrespective of the thermostats, the apparatus is provided with a selective device in the form of a manually operable switch C .connected to the circuit between the thermostats and the switchesA 25a. 25",-etc., and a timeoperated switch D having a switch arm '76 by means of which the thermostatic devices and the selective switch may be cut into and out of operation at any predetermined times. The switch C (see Fig. l) has a switch arm 8O and a plurality of contacts 81, 81h, 81", 81d, 81e, and 81f, respectively connected to the wires 29. The time -switch D has the switch arm 76 electrically connected to the wire 67 by a wire .82.v This switch arm is pivoted on and insulated from a rod 83 and is adapted to engage atits opposite ends terminals 84 and 85 respectively connected to the line 18 and-the switch arm 80. The switch arm is normally urged in the direction of the contact 85 by 'a spring 86. Extending laterallv from the switch arm is a projection 87 with which is adapted to cooperate a latch 88 pivoted on a fixed pin 89 and having a pair If the temperature falls to a of notches 90 and 91. The upper end of the latch carries a pin or abutment 92. and the latch is normally urged to the full line position shown in Fig. by a spring 93. The switch arm carries a bracket 95 having, at its upper end, a pin or projection 96. The latch and switch arm are controlled by a pair of lingers which, in th-e present instance, are in the iorm ot adjustable hands 100 and 101 connected to a dial 102 driven in any suitable manner, as by means of the clock 40. ln the prei-'ent'illustrative disclosure. the dial 102 has a hub 103 through which passes a screw 10-1 which is threaded into a recess in one. end of the clock driven shaft 41. Also located on this screw is the dial of a switch E which, in construction, is substantially identical to the switch D. The dial makes one revolution 'in twentyfour hours and its face is divided up into twenty-fourdivisions. The hands may b e connected to the dial in any suitable manner,

as, for example, the inner ends ot the hands may be engaged in circumferential grooves 105 in the hub 103, and the dial may have arcuate slots 106 through which passes clamping bolts 107 'carried by the hands.

The operation of the arrangement just described is briefly as follows: rissuming that during the night the building in which my apparatus is installed becomes somewhat cold, it may be desirable to throw the regulator on at a shorter interval of time after it has been thrown ott than would be the case if the outside temperature controlled the regulator through the thermostats'in order to bring the temperature of the building more rapidly to the desired degree. For example, the temperature of the outside air may be such that, it' the regulator were controlled through the thermostats, theI regulator would be thrown on fifty minutes y by the thermostat 15e after the regulator has been thrown olf, and it may be .desirable to throw the regulator on say twenty minutes aft-er it is'thrown olf from siicto eight oclock in the morning. The hands 100 and 101 will be set as shown in Fig.t5. The switch arm 80 of the selective switch will be brought into engagement with the contact 81". The position of the dial indicates that it is' six oclock p. m..'the.reading for the time being made at the bottom of the dial. For this purpose, the pointer 110 (see Fig. 2) may be provided. When twelve hours have elapsed; that is, six oclock in the morning, the hand 101 will engage the pin 92 and thereby throw the latch to a position'of the latch shown in Fig. 6. When the latch is thrown to this position, the spring 86 will move the switch arm into engagement with the contact 85. as shown by dotted lines Fig. 1. From six oclock tov eight oclock, the regulator will be thrown on twenty minutes after it is thrown olf ,by the pressure-stat, because the current will will engage thepin 96, thereby throwing` the switch arm 76l back into the position shown in Fig. 5 and in which positionit will be held bythe latch v88. Thereafter, the regulator is controlled through the thervmostats vand cam operated switches, as pre'- viously described.

"The switch E serves the purpose of throwing the regulator into and out. of control of the thermostats and cam operated switches or thev cam operated switches alone at predetermined times.v For example, during the night, say from ten p. m. to five a. m., it may be desirable to heat the building to a lesser degree than would be the case if the regulator were under the control of the thermostats and." during that time, to maintain the regulatorl out of operation and then at five Voclock in the morning to automat ically throw the regulatorunder the control of the thermostats. practically identical to the switch D and, therefore, the parts thereof corresponding to the parts of the switch D bear correspond- The operation of the switch E may best be understood from the following concrete example: Thel hand 100 is set at the twentysecond hour, that is, ten oclock, on the dial 102', and the hand 101 is set on the numeral live of the dial 102. Now, when it arrives at ten p. m.,- the hand 101 throws the latch 88 to the fullline position shown in Fig. 6 so that the switch ,arm engages the contact 120 of a wire 121 leading to the wire 68 and which wire 121 shunts the thermostats and cam operated switches.v The current will now flow through'lthe switch arm 75, wire 121 and the solenoid or magnet 13 until five oclock in the morning and, during that time, 'the motor A is of. At five oclock in the morning, the hand 100 engages lthe pin96, whereupon the switch arm 75 is thrown to the full line .position shown in Fig. 1. From five a. m. until ten p. m., the

motor will 'now be controlled through the thermostats and cam operated switch while the switch arm 76 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and through the selected camoperated switch when lthe arml .76 is in the dotted line position of Fig. 1. As many changes could'be made 1n the above, construction and many apparently shown in the accompanying "drawings shalt This Aswitch E isI i be interpreted as illustrative and not in a ed to cover all of the generic' and specific vfeatures of the invention herein described and Vall statements. of the scope 'of the in- `to initial vention which, as a matter of language, milght be said to fall therebetween.

A claim as my invention:

l. In combination, a heating plant having' a regulator, a plurality of thermostats set to operate at differenttemperatures, means affected by the heat of the heating plant for throwing the regulator oi, a plurality of switches one for each thermostat, said ther mostats being arranged to effect the throwing on of said regulator through said switches, and means for closing said switches at progressively different intervals of time. 3!

2. In combination, a heating plant having a regulator, thermostatic means set to operate at progressively 'diii'erent temperatures, means for throwing said regulator off, a plurality of switches one for each setting at' which said thermostatic means is adapted to operate, said thermostatic means being arranged to Veli'ect the throwing on of 'said regulator through the respective switches, and means for closing said switches at progressively di'erent intervals of time after the regulator is thrown off, said means comprising a plurality of cams adapted to` close said switches at progressively dili'erent intervals, and means for returning said cams osition when the regulator is thrown o 3. In combination, a heating plant having a regulator, thermostatic means set to operate at vprogressively different temperatures, a pressure-stat associated with said heating plant and arranged to4 throw said regulator offv when the plant reaches a predetermined temperature, a plurality of -switches one for each setting of said thermostatic means, said thermostatic means being arranged to eiiect operation of said regulator through said switches, and means for closing said switches at progressively different intervals of time after said regulator is thrown oif.

4. In combination, a heating plant having a regulator, a circuit controlling said regulator and including thermostatic means in said circuit set to operate at progressively different temperatures, a pressure-stat, a switch in said circuit operated by said pressure-Istat, a plurality of switches arranged in parallel in said lcircuit and respectivel in series with .the several settings of said t ermostatc means, and means for closing said last mentioned switches at progressively different intervals of time.

5. In combination, a heating plant'havto operate, p

ranged to effect operation of said regulator ing a regulator, a circuit controlling said regulator, 'a plurality of thermostats arranged in parallel in said circuit and set "to operate at progressively different temperatures, a switch in said circuit, means affected by the heat of said heating plant for controlling said switch, a plurality of switches arranged in parallel in said circuit and respectively in. series with the respective thermostats, and means for closing said last mentioned switches at progressively different intervals of time.

6. In combination, a heating plant having a regulator, a circuit controlling said regulator, a plurality of thermostats arranged in parallel in said circuit and set to operate at progressively different temperatures, a switch-in said circuit, means affected by. the heat of said heating plantl for controlling said switch, a plurality of switches arranged in parallel in said circuit and respectively' in -series with the respective thermostats, lneans for closing saidv last mentionedswitches at progressively different, intervals of time, and means for returning said last mentioned means to initial position each time the regulator is thrown olf.

7 In combination, a heating plant having I a regulator, thermostatic means set to operate at a plurality of different temperatures, a plurality of switches one for each setting at which said thermostatic means is adapted to operate, switches .at progressively d iierent intervals of time, operative means `for returning said last mentioned means to initial position when said regulator is thrown olf, and means affected by the heat of said heating plant Jfor rendering said operative means effective when said regulator is thrown on and for rendering said thermostatic means effective when saitd regulator is thrown off.

8. In combination, a heating plant having a regulator, a circuit through whichv said regulator is controlled, a plurality of thermostats arranged in parallel in said circuit, a plurality of switches one for each thermomeans for closing said stat, cam means for closing said switches at to initial position when said cam means is o disengaged from said driving means, a switch in said circuit, a switch controlling said disengaging means, and means affecte by the heat of said heating plant and controlling said two last mentioned switches.

9. In combination, a heating plant having a regulator, thermostatic means set to operate at7 progressivel a plurality of devlces one for each setting at which said thermostatic means is adapte said thermostatic means being ardifferent temperatures,

- ferent intervals yot time, a.r manually operable selectiveswitch between said thermostats and switches, and a timecontrolled switch for controlling the current through said thermostats and selective switch.

11. In combination, a heating plant having -a regulator, thermostatic means set to operate at progressively different temperatures, a plurality of switches one for each setting at which said thermostatic means is. adapted to operate, said thermostatic means being arranged to effect operation of said regulator' through said switches, means for closing said switches at progressively dil'erent intervals of time, and a time controlled switch controlling said regulator and arraged to throw said thermostatic means and switches into and out of operation at predetermined times. l

12. In combination, a plurality of switches arranged in parallel, cams for operating said switches at progressively different intervals of time, means for driving said cams in one direction, means for disengaging said cams from said driving means, and means for returning said cams to initial position when disengaged fromsaid driving means.

13. 1n combination, a plurality of switches arranged in pcarallel and each having a pivoted member, a plurality of cams driven in unison and arrranged to respectively actuate said ivoted members at progressively different intervals of time, clock mechanism for rotating said cams in one direction, means for disengaging said cams from said driving means, and means for rotatin said cams in the opposite direction and to initial position when said clams are disengaged from said driving means.

14. In combination, a heating plant having a regulator, thermostatic meansset to operate at progressively dilerenty temperatures,a plurality of devices one for each .setting at which said thermostatic means is adapted to operate, said thermostatic means .Y

being arranged to effect operation of said regulator through said switches, means for closing said switches at progressively different intervals of time, selective means associated with said switches and shunting said thermostatic means, a.time controlled switch for breaking the circuit through said thermostatic means and making the same through said selective means, and a second -time controlled'switch dfor governing said regulator independently' of said thermostatic means and said devices.

15. In combination, a heating lant having a regulator, a plurality of t ermostats set to operate at progressively different temperatures, a plurality of switches one associated with each thermostat, means for ,operating said switches at; progressively different intervals of time, a manually operable selective switch between said thermostats and switches, a time controlled switchforcontrolling thecurrent through said thermostats and 4selective switch, and a second time controlled switch arranged to directly throw said regulator on and off at: predetermined times. Y

16. In combination, a circuit, thermostatic means therein set to operate at predetermined temperatures, means yfor breaking said circuit at indeterminable periods, means in series with said thermostatic means for closing said circuit at predetermined vintervals for each setting of ,said thermostatic means after the circuit i'sbroken, 7the intervals of timefor the various settings'progressively' varying from one another.

-iRviNG GREENHUT.

Oct. 26 1926. 1,604,349

w. s. HARLEY DISTRIBUTOR CAP vFiled April 1,3. 1922 

